Saints coach Payton banned one year for bounties

(CBS/AP) The NFL handed down sweeping and unprecedented punishment Wednesday for bounties paid out on big hits, suspending New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton without pay for next season and indefinitely banning the team's former defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, who now works for the St. Louis Rams.

Payton is the first head coach suspended by the league for any reason. He is accused of trying to cover up a system of extra cash payouts that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called "particularly unusual and egregious" and "totally unacceptable."

"We are all accountable and responsible for player health and safety and the integrity of the game. We will not tolerate conduct or a culture that undermines those priorities," said Goodell, whose league faces more than 20 concussion-related lawsuits brought by hundreds of former players. "No one is above the game or the rules that govern it."

Saints coach, GM take hit for bounties
NFL bounties amount to incentive system run amok

According to the league, Payton ignored instructions from the NFL and Saints ownership to make sure bounties weren't being paid. The league also chastised him for choosing to "falsely deny that the program existed," and for attempting to "encourage the false denials by instructing assistants to `make sure our ducks are in a row."'

CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman says the NFL's punishment fits not just the crime but the culprit.

"A variety of league sources say the phasering of the Saints franchise by Goodell is as much about Payton and the Saints as it is about Goodell attempting to change the NFL's brutal culture, and they're correct," Freeman writes. "Payton has long been on the league's radar, and not in a good way."

Goodell also banned Saints general manager Mickey Loomis for the first eight regular-season games next season, and assistant coach Joe Vitt for the first six games.

In addition, Goodell fined the Saints $500,000 and took away their second-round draft picks this year and next.

After the NFL first made its investigation public on March 2, Williams admitted to — and apologized for — running the program while in charge of the Saints' defense from 2009-11. He was hired by the Rams in January.

Goodell will review Williams' status after the upcoming season and decide whether he can return to the league.

The Saints now must decide who will coach the team while Payton is barred, his suspension is effective April 1, and who will make roster moves while Loomis is out.

After the NFL made clear that punishments were looming, Payton and Loomis took the blame for violations that they acknowledged "happened under our watch" and said Saints owner Tom Benson "had nothing to do" with the bounty pool, which reached as much as $50,000 in 2009, the season the Saints won the Super Bowl.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees reacted quickly to the news on Twitter, writing: "I am speechless. Sean Payton is a great man, coach, and mentor ... I need to hear an explanation for this punishment."

Brees "speechless," other players stunned by suspension

The NFL said the scheme involved 22 to 27 defensive players; targeted opponents included quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newton, Brett Favre and Kurt Warner. "Knockouts" were worth $1,500 and "cart-offs" $1,000, with payments doubled or tripled for the playoffs.

According to the league, Saints defensive captain Jonathan Vilma offered $10,000 to any player who knocked then-Vikings QB Favre out of the 2010 NFC championship game.

Earlier this month, former all-pro defensive tackle Warren Sapp told "CBS This Morning" that he was dismayed at the bounty scandal.

"There's no reason to go out there and go after (the quarterback). He's a father, a husband," Sapp said. "There's so many other things that go into this other than a football game." (See interview at left).

All payouts for specific performances in a game, including interceptions or causing fumbles, are against NFL rules. The NFL warns teams against such practices before each season, although in the aftermath of the revelations about the Saints, current and former players from various teams talked about that sort of thing happening frequently — although not on the same scale as the NFL found in New Orleans.

In a memo sent out to the NFL's 32 teams, Goodell ordered owners to make sure their clubs are not offering bounties now. Each club's principal owner and head coach must certify in writing by March 30 that no pay-for-performance system exists.

Punishment for any Saints players involved will be determined later, because the league is still reviewing the case with the NFL Players Association.

"While I will not address player conduct at this time, I am profoundly troubled by the fact that players — including leaders among the defensive players — embraced this program so enthusiastically and participated with what appears to have been a deliberate lack of concern for the well-being of their fellow players," Goodell said.

The discipline for the Saints' involvement in the bounty scheme is more far-reaching than what Goodell did in 2007, when the NFL came down on the New England Patriots for illegally videotaping an opponent. Goodell fined the Patriots $250,000, stripped a first-round draft pick, and docked their coach, Bill Belichick, $500,000 for what was known as "Spygate."

As recently as this year, Payton said he was entirely unaware of the bounties — "a claim contradicted by others," the league said. And according to the investigation, Payton received an email before the Saints' first game in 2011 that read, "PS Greg Williams put me down for $5000 on Rogers (sic)." When Payton was shown that email by NFL investigators, he acknowledged it referred to a bounty on Rodgers, whose Packers beat the Saints in Week 1.

The league said that in addition to contributing money to the bounty fund, Williams oversaw record-keeping, determined payout amounts and who got cash, and handed out envelopes with money to players. The NFL said Williams acknowledged he intentionally misled NFL investigators when first questioned in 2010, and didn't try to stop the bounties.

Vitt was aware of the bounties and, according to the league, later admitted he had "fabricated the truth" when interviewed in 2010.

Loomis knew of the bounty allegations at least by February 2010, when he was told by the league to end the practice. But the NFL said he later admitted he didn't do enough to determine if there were bounties or to try to stop them.

[bayoumama24]

Ok, were there any "hits" that were excessive? Were there any penalties that resulted from these hits? If not, then let's fine and suspend the referees, too! Let's not stop at Williams and Payton, let's get them all!

[ReckonedTruth]

OK.. nothing NEW here people.. just another CHEATER who got caught as a COACH!..

..we put these professional team coaches one step below GOD.. and then we're surprize to LEARN these coaches are in the council of evil as a way to win--by any means necessary even if it means breaking the rules..

..this is nothing new --there's been plenty of coaches and players on the TAKE forever as the day is long..

.. and I hope this will open a CAN OF WORMS --exposing the good ole boys network and how they operate.. their sentiment is by any means necessary to win.. but just don't get caught.. that's the motto so it seems..

I can see coming down the pike --those involved who will PLAY the amnesia card when their name is called as the investigation moves forward.. being involved with BOUNTIES/payments or a percentage of the bounty payments issued to non players.. payments to staff-- as rush payments.. the questions will come to those involved.. WHAT you knew?.. WHEN you knew?..WHERE were you when you knew?

..although some coaches are smart and covered their lieing cheating a$$es ..and have never got caught ans went out in the blazing sun on shoulders of men who held them in in high esteem..

What -Sean Payton did was a CRIME and should be an criminal offense as reflection to the NFL Players Association- Peyton deserves JAIL time and his legacy record STRIPPED from the N.O. history roster(the good ole boys network is keeping him out of jail and basically fired him as a way to protect him ---for bribing his players with cash to CRIPPLE the opposition players-that IMPO is EVIL-- as an inherent and intentional POOR sportmanship as coach/leader..

Peyton as coach..was to coach in GOOD FAITH and he did not and used money as bribe to win....and for that he should be charged as a misdemeanor offense at the least as an professional-- who is paid good money upon the integrity and honesty he stated as such as professional NFL Coach.. which is the furthest from the truth as we discovered..so then he's violates his agreement and moral clause in his contract as noted..so don't give me this you're the judge and jury crap in public opinion.. save THAT for the good ole boys network who allowed such a thing to take place..and now have to explain..WHY they didn't know or made aware of Peyton's demise..

Payton doesn't deserve to be the coach after the suspension is lifted... a year? C'mon on..

..so if you examine the NFL lesser rules for the players .. a player can't dance in the in-zone- can't show excitment- an celebration for an accomplished(PLAY completed) and a few other silly rules against the players.. and if a player violates? He's fined heavy..RIDICULOUS!

..But the NFL Players Association doesn't take the STANCE to examine what these COACHES DO in the line of LACKING INTEGRITY-THIS BOUNTY BUSINESS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED WITH PAYTON BEFORE NOW --..the good ole boys network--STRIKES AGAIN for incompetence, an inherent favortism to turn a blind eye towards their own who's questionable integrity ALLOWED ..

[rp44_63]

Ya know, I used to like Drew Brees, BUT, if "he" needs an explanation for the punishment handed out to "his" reverred coach - HE HAS GOT TO BE THE BIGGEST MORON on earth. Go soak your head Brees!!!! Anyone, and I do mean any one - who thinks this a good practice that should be tolerated and encouraged to go on - DOES NOT know the first thing about football and DOES NOT respect the game and it's players. Good riddence Payton and Williams. Hope you guys never coach again anywhere!!!! As for the players that participated - They should never play another down of football either!!!! What a shame - a historic football team brought down in this manner for this senseless offense.

[pixcchic]

I agree with another user - he should be in jail.

[w_roos]

Wonder if this means that people will start hating Sean Payton more than Bill Bellichick. Probably not.

[rp44_63]

I already do. What Bellachek did was senseless - BUT - at least it didn't envolve intentual bodily harm to other players. Payton and Williams should never be allowed to coach again.

[vette_man]

should have banned the entire team.. the players enjoyed doing this for the coaches.. they are all just as guilty...

[Lindag10]

Good. It's about time to deal with this problem.

[rodster8449]

Wow. Goody really does have a pair of balls. My compliments................

[werntrouble]

I'm sure the neanderthals will disagree, but pro- or any- level football needs to be a sport, not a fight-to-the-death of gladiators. I know that in other sports, the opposing team athletes respect each other and recognize that winning by outplaying the opponent on any given day is the what we want to see, not killing each other. I would rather see football go away than see anybody get away with deliberately harming another player.

[slumdawg]

Oh, you mean like in hockey?

[AnnieDanny]

I thought the interview with Warren Sapp was terrific. I always liked him when he was one of the Bucs here in Tampa Bay. Now I respect him even more.

I'm glad to hear there is aggressive action being taken by the NFL. I don't understand how dumb people can be. Don't they know there's a God they have to answer to? Until then, there's the NFL.